Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Velazquez

Antonio Velazquez remains one of the icons of Mexican bullfighting. His image still stands above one of the gates among the murals of the old Nogales ring. Matadors Of Mexico by Ann Miller praised him. Cornadas by Palacios and Cronicas de Sangre by Alameda dealt with his many gorings. A pasodoble survives in his honor.

Velazquez learned the trade as a banderilleros, but oddly enough did not place his own banderillas as a novillero or matador except on VERY rare occasions. He spent decades before the horns, with great triumphs in Mexico and some successful Spanish corridas. He was especially known for his skill with the capote. His only weakness wad he did not always kill well.

Velazquez had some of his finest afternoons ever in the border towns such as Nogales, Tijuana and Juarez. Even as he aged, he remained a drawing card in these rings.

In varied books it is noted how badly Velazquez was gored a number of times, yet always came back. He received one devastating goring under the chin and another near fatal wound in the lung.

Oddly. he did not die in he ring though at times he came close. He was killed in a fall from a rooftop as he tried to adjust a tv antenna.